1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed generally to a racking system for securing solar panels, and in particular, to a racking system for securing solar panels disposed on a flat roof.
2. Background Art
Recent advancements in solar cell technology and skyrocketing fossil fuel prices coupled with awareness of environmental impacts have prompted many businesses to consider solar energy as an alternative energy source. Many commercial buildings have flat roofs and most are left unused. These large expanses of flat spaces present ideal opportunities to place solar panels as they are typically not publicly accessible and free from significant natural debris such as leaves or shade cast by trees or buildings.
As labor costs are high and constitute a large portion of the total cost of solar equipment procurement and installation, it is imperative that installers resort to solar racking systems having a grounding system that is simple to install, one that does not require highly trained professionals to be present at all times. For example, installation costs can be reduced if the electrician is only required to be present when solar panels are ready to be electrically enabled.
Solar panels and their supporting framework must be designed to be wind resistant. At least one prior art system has incorporated wind deflectors while another prior art system uses slides in the panel support structures to accommodate high wind velocities. As building owners require solar racking systems to be disposed independently on flat roofs, e.g., without breaching the flat roofs for the benefit of securing the solar racking systems to them, it is critical to have the solar racks assume as low a profile as possible to avoid wind and other environmental concerns.
Given these concerns, several solar panel support systems have been designed to solve some of these problems. However, none of the prior art systems are designed to be capable of addressing all of these concerns.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,661,748 to Lewenz et al. (Hereinafter Lewenz) discloses a light weight ballasted solar racking system having light ballasted weight loads that is easy and fast to install. The racking system may be used in roof or ground mount applications to mount thin film and frameless solar modules. The racking system physically attaches to the solar panel at the manufactured mounting holes with a set of struts that then attach to a ballast tray that holds the system in place. A set of struts may determine the degree of angle from about 5 to about 35 degrees, for example. The front of the ballast tray has an air pass way of about 3-5 inches, while the back of the system has about 8-12 inches of space for an air pass way. Multiple racking systems may be linked together, resulting in the need for less ballast weight for each racking system. Although Lewenz's ballasts are also disposed within the footprint of a racking system (or at least partially protected from outdoor elements), Lewenz's ballasts are supported by materials or plates that span entire lengths and widths of the ballast. This feature is in contrast to the present rack where ballasts are supported by a supporting frame, e.g., wire frame, which requires much less materials for fabrication. As Lewenz's ballasts are not “suspended” or elevated, there lacks air gap between the supporting surfaces and ballasts. Lewenz's ballasts are therefore potentially exposed to moisture for longer periods of time compared to the present rack where air drying can occur readily. Lewenz lacks a sheltered elevated path for supporting cabling.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,105,316 of Bottger et al. (Hereinafter Bottger) discloses a device for supporting one or more solar panels or thermal collectors which may be arrangeable on a flat roof. The device has a bottom wall, a rear wall which extends upwardly from a rear side of the bottom wall, and two oppositely arranged side walls which are integrally joined with side edges of the bottom wall and rear wall. The side walls slope from the rear wall to a front edge of the bottom wall. Again, Bottger's ballasts are at least partially sheltered and rather “enclosed.” Again, Bottger's ballasts are disposed over solid continuous materials to weigh down Bottger's device. Bottger also lacks air gap between the supporting surfaces of the ballasts and the ballasts are therefore potentially exposed to moisture for longer periods of time compared to the present rack where air drying can occur readily. Bottger also lacks a sheltered elevated path for supporting cabling.
Kelly Pickerel's article “What's up with solar ballast?” on www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2016/04/whats-solar-ballast/ discloses problems associated with concrete blocks used as ballasts for low-sloped and flatter rooftops. Besides being unsightly, concrete blocks used in conventional ballast practices are unprotected from outdoor elements, severely speeding their degradation. Broken concrete chunks can fall out of racking, rendering the blocks useless as ballasts and increasing the potential of getting roof membranes damaged.
Thus, there arises a need for a solar rack which is simple in construction and installation, one that does not require regular maintenance, one that is compact, one having all components arranged in a manner suitable for a long life span, one that provides for flexible wire management practices, one that provides superior grounding to conventional grounding methods and one that does not require modifications to existing flat roofs on which the racking system is used.